The Surprising History of Tinsel

How is the shiny tinsel that decorates many Christmas trees made? Today it's mostly made of plastic. But did you know tinsel used to contain chemical elements like lead, aluminum, or copper? Find out all about tinsel's chemistry history in this very special holiday episode of Speaking of Chemistry.

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It's been a holiday decoration staple for decades, and it turns out that silver stuff hanging from your tree has quite a storied past. Tinsel has been made out of everything from real silver, to lead to other dangerously flammable materials. This week's Speaking of Chemistry decks your halls with the history of tinsel. 

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